


Peaches

by Third_Eye



Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Connor gets better, Evan explains the letter, Evan gets better, Evan is gender nonconforming, Evan loves fashion, Evan uses he/they pronouns, Gender Neutral Character, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, The crush on Zoe was kind of short lived
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 16:28:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11108403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Third_Eye/pseuds/Third_Eye
Summary: Evan "Peach" Hansen was home schooled most of his life, due to near crippling anxiety around other people. Thinking that he can better overcome his anxiety through confronting the things he fears most, and in turn helping out his mom, Evan goes to the local high school for his senior year.Having a crush on a girl via Jared's Instagram is pretty short lived when Evan ends up meeting her brother, Connor.





	1. Anxiety and Outfits

Evan “Peach” Hansen had been homeschooled most of his life. His mom Heidi was a great parent, but being a single mom had been hard on her and Evan knew that. That’s why he was taking one for the team by going to public school this year. It was definitely going to be weird and frightening- oh my god was it ABSOLUTELY going to be frightening- but at least he would know at least one person there. He was more of a “family friend”? Yep, Jared Kleinman was definitely a family friend, they had grown up together, but as time went on and they started growing up Jared only really hung out with Evan because his mom made him, not because the boy actually wanted to be around him. 

Evan didn’t really know if he’d fit in at the school, anxiety around people had been a big issue for him and the only real issue that had kept him homeschooled for so long. But, he was a junior no- or at least the equivalent of it- and he wanted to try, at least try for his mom’s sake, she really did bust her ass for him and he wanted to make thing easier for her.

At the moment he was kind of in the middle of a predicament. He had no idea what he was going to wear for school. It’s not like he had nothing to wear- oh no that wasn’t the case at all- it was that he had TOO MUCH to wear. His closet was filled with clothes. Vintage, Japanese street style, H&M clearance picks, you name it and he probably had it in his closet somewhere. He loved his clothes- he really did- but just looking at his closet and the boxes upon boxes was making his hands shake from anxiety. If he didn’t pick something in time he’d be late, if he did pick something in time he’d somehow manage to dislike it and then it would just be a never-ending cycle of his bullshit. 

This situation only had one solution. Only one person could help him with this. He had to call Jared. 

The phone rang for a few seconds, and then abruptly there was a crash and a tired sounding voice cursed. “Evan fucking Hansen it is-“ Jared paused. “Five oh three in the fucking morning. This had better be good.”

Evan laughed nervously at Jared’s choice words. “Um. Yeah. Sorry. I just. I’ve been trying to pick an outfit out for school and yeah. You know how I am. Sorry. I’m just torn between two different pieces right now? My mom’s at work so she can’t help and you were the only person I could think of. Oh crap. I’m rambling. I’m so sorry Jared. I didn’t realize how early it was. Sorry.”

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds and then… “Give me five minutes. I have to put some pants on.”

“Oh! Sorry! I didn’t realize you’d need to-“ Jared hung up.

Evan should’ve expected it really. Jared wasn’t a very patient individual; he never had been, especially with Evan. It was all right though, Evan knew he wasn’t easy to work with, but this year he really wanted to make a difference not only with himself but with other people as well. Who knew? Maybe he’d make new friends or have someone sign his cast! The possibilities were endless and they started to fill him with a numbing sense of dread. What if he said the wrong thing? What if he WORE the wrong thing? What if no one signed his cast? What if-

The doorbell rang. 

Oh god, what if Jared made fun of the outfits he had chosen? Now he didn’t even want to open the door, but he had to. He couldn’t just blow Jared off after asking him over at five in the morning. 

With a deep breath, he opened the door to find Jared glowering down at him in the threshold. 

“Okay. I’m here. Show me what you’ve got for today.” He walked through the doorway and past Evan making a beeline for the cabinets to pull out the Oreos. 

Evan stood there for a moment, stuck in place, and shook off a layer of anxiety. “Um. Jared. I really do appreciate the help. But, well, please don’t eat all of the Oreos this time please? I need some for lunch.”

Jared stared at Evan with an Oreo half way to his mouth, but set it back in the pack and cleared his throat. “Uh. Yeah. Totally.” The other boy seemed to shake himself out of his reverie. “Just show me what you have for school.”

With that Evan practically sprinted to his room, out of anxiety or excitement he didn’t actually know. He checked the time quickly- five ten- he had to be at school by seven forty. He had time. He had time, he promised himself. 

On the bed were two outfits, one was comprised of a striped powder blue shirt that he had gotten in the clearance section of H&M, a pair of high waisted, navy blue, button up shorts with a tree design embroidered on the hip, and a large white, knit, button up sweater that went almost to his knees. The other however was his big surprise, his key to helping himself gain a foothold over his anxiety. He couldn’t wait to show Jared that one. 

He quickly stripped out of his pajamas and folded them neatly on the corner of his bed, shivering briefly at the cool air and pulled on the shirt to the first outfit. He made quick work of putting on the rest of outfit, so he wouldn’t waste any more time. Evan rolled some white, cotton thigh highs up his legs and stepped into his Mary Jane’s. He did a little quick tap, tap, tap on the floor and was pleased with how the shoes felt as it was his first time wearing this pair. 

He entered the kitchen with a spring in his step and stopped in front of Jared with a timid smile. 

He twirled in place and started to feel anxious as he saw the look on Jared’s face. “Do you like it?” His palms were starting to sweat as Jared just continued to stare. “Is it too much?”

His voice cracked and Evan just wanted to bury himself alive at that moment. He started to scrunch and unscrunch the fabric of his shirt as the palms of his hands started to sweat. 

Jared cleared his throat and pushed the package of Oreos to the side of the counter. “Evan you look…” He pushed off of the stool that he had been sitting on and stood in front of Evan. “You look really good. Like really damn good bro.”

Oh god had Evan been overthinking. It was like his burden to overthink everything, and to think that Jared actually appreciated what he was wearing right now made him so happy. 

Jared ran a hand through his hair as he stared down at his “family friend”. “You said you had another one though? I’d really like to see that one too if you’re up for it?”  
If anything Evan’s smile got brighter with the question and he practically danced into his bedroom to change into the second- special- outfit that he had in mind for the first day of senior year. 

He stepped out of his room careful that the heels didn’t alert Jared to his presence and slowly made his way into the kitchen. Jared was sitting on the stool from before chewing on another Oreo and typing on his phone, not noticing Evan as he made his entrance. 

Evan cleared his throat.

Jared looked up and Evan was scared for a moment that Jared’s eyes were going to erupt from his skull. 

The other boy stood from his stool and practically barreled Evan over. 

“Holy shit… HOLY FUCKING SHIT! EVAN HANSEN YOU LOOK SO CUTE!” Jared was practically shouting at this point as he gestured wildly to Evan’s outfit.

“When the hell did you get all this stuff???” He asked and ran his hands down his face. “You HAVE to wear this to school today.”

Evan blushed madly, and fiddled with the lace hem of his skirt. He tried his best to make this outfit beautiful and seeing Jared gob smacked made it all worth it. 

His outfit consisted of a lacy white dress, cute cherry tree stockings- they were his favorite- white creepers whose shoelaces had been replaced with pale green silk ribbons, and the same knit, white sweater as before. Evan felt comfortable in what he was wearing. Just twirling from side to side in the dress helped him feel less anxious. 

“I. I’m really glad you like it… I tried really hard to make it look nice.” Evan smiled a soft smile as the skirt swished. “It took a long time to sew all the lace.”

Jared dragged a hand down his face and grabbed Evan’s lunchbox from the fridge and handed it to him. “I don’t know why you don’t just start a career in fashion instead of all this tree stuff.”

Evan grabbed his bag and hefted it to the uninjured side of his body. “Trees are important, Jared… They’re basically what have been keeping us alive all this time. Without them-“ 

Jared cut him off with his hand in his face. “Yep didn’t want a tree rant then, and I certainly don’t want one now. Let’s just get to school okay?”

The drive to school wasn’t bad or long really. Jared just made the point to talk about whatever new game he was play- “Over” something or other- and how he was head over heels in love with these two characters in the game. After a while Evan just zoned out and waited for the ride to be over. 

He hadn’t realized that the car had stopped moving until he felt Jared shove at his- thankfully uninjured- shoulder.

“We’re here dumbass.” He mumbled. “Get the hell out of the car.”

It was really weird how Jared could go to an almost brotherly like figure when they were home alone, to such a- dare he say it- self-righteous prick.

They walked through the crowd of people and into the hells cape called high school. Only thing was, was that Evan didn’t realize that everything was going to change in just a few short moments.


	2. Standing Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evan makes a friend.   
> And Connor has a crush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUYS IT'S BEEN A WHILE!!  
> WOw hey. It's been a while but I've finally gotten down to finishing this chapter for all y'all! Enjoy!!

Evan was about to enter the high school building for the first time in his life- this was official, that one time with his mom didn’t count, because c’mon it was his mom- he was doing this alone, well with Jared, but that might as well count as alone. He was starting to feel anxious just being around other people, there were just so many he didn’t know if he’d actually be able to deal. 

His hands were starting to sweat up a storm and he tried to wipe them off as discreetly as possible on his skirt. There was a sudden tug on his arm and Evan flinched as Jared started to pull him through the crowd of people and up to his locker.

Jared didn’t even look at him as he started to unlock his locker. “You looked like you were about to fucking pass out.”

Now Evan felt even worse. He shouldn’t have come; he was just going to be not only a bother to Jared, but to his mom, the teachers, and fellow students… God he couldn’t get a grip on himself. 

“Sorry.” He said softly, Jared gave him a look the kind that said, “Don’t apologize over things that aren’t a big deal.”

It just made Evan want to bury himself alive even more than before, and as Jared shut his locker and grabbed his arm yet again, he couldn’t help the overwhelming sense of nausea that was bubbling up inside of him. 

His short heels clicked against the floor with every timid step he took, and soon enough he was being pulled in front of a locker with Jared looking at him expectantly. 

“It’s your locker dude. Do you have the code?” Jared wasn’t looking at him- which he was thankful for- he was just staring out into the vast crowd of people. 

Evan nodded his head and held out the scrap of paper to Jared who took it and started to unlock the locker without pause. “You know you really have to do this for yourself eventually, I can’t be doing everything for you…” Jared muttered as he spun in the combination and opened the locker with an impatient look on his face.

Evan hurried to put his books in the locker and deposited everything he needed for his class into his bag before closing the locker door at the sound of Jared’s voice loudly calling out: “Hey Connor! Love the look! Very school shooter chic!”

Evan whipped his body around at the venomous words and hit Jared on his arm hard without really thinking about what he was doing as words erupted from his throat without thought. “Jared Michael Kleinman! Don’t you dare bully somebody like that! That was absolutely uncalled for! You should be ashamed of yourself!”

Evan’s words echoed in his own ears as he saw the whole of the student body stare at him in various versions of shock. The most important being the boy who Jared had been so horribly rude to, and in that embarrassing moment with Evan trying to look everywhere but in the eyes of the student body, just the idea of looking anyone in the eye terrified him. 

Then he looked up, and his eyes met the other boy’s with a shaky smile he held out his hand, the tree charm bracelet that Jared had gotten for him last Christmas twinkled as he did so. “I’m, um, Evan. Hansen. Evan Hansen, sorry. Sorry about Jared I mean.” He started to sweat slightly from his brow as the dark clothed boy in front of him stared at Evan’s hand but made no move to shake it.

The other boy- Connor, that was his name- pursed his lips- oh god, Evan hoped he hadn’t annoyed him somehow- and bit his lip nudging at the snake bite, that Evan had just noticed, with his teeth. “Don’t bother me.” Connor’s voice was like venom, and in that moment Evan couldn’t help but wonder if it was something that he had done. 

He twisted his hands in his skirt and looked the other boy in those strange eyes- they were a mutation, the logical part of Evan’s brain helpfully nudged, and god they were beautiful- and held his chin up in uncharacteristic event of confidence. 

“I’m- I’m not going to!” Evan’s face was flushed with embarrassment, but he continued anyway, the consequences of his actions could wait for now and he shoved his anxiety back- for once he was going to make a friend that wasn’t Jared. “You look like the kind of person that I’d want to be friends with! So- so, meet me by the old oak tree for lunch okay? I wanna know you better and make up for Jared’s nastiness.” Evan gave the other boy a blinding smile. “He’s more bark than bite anyway! Kind of like a tree!”

Jared gave an unattractive snort from behind Evan and glared at Connor who glared right on back, but both were quickly started out of their glaring contest as Evan whipped his schedule out of his backpack and showed it to Connor with a timid smile. 

“What’s your first class? Maybe we can walk together!” Without looking behind him, Evan grabbed Jared’s hand and pulled him next to him. “I promise Jared won’t be a crap head.”

Connor’s glare softened slightly as he took in Evan’s now more timid smile and glanced at the schedule and back at Evan. “I’m in the opposite direction. You’d just be late for class walking with me.” Connor watched as Evan’s smile fell and sighed. “I’ll see you at lunch. Not with that dick head though.”

Connor turned away and walked briskly in the opposite direction as his pale face started flaming bright red. He was so glad that his hair could cover his face in that moment. 

Evan stared after him with a soft, surprised smile gracing his lips that turned into a full fledged grin as he saw the shocked look on Jared’s face. “I think I just made a new friend!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ya'll I'm sorry it's been so long! I'll be trying to update more often but between working a full time job and becoming a shift leader it'll be a little hard but I'll try my best!!   
> Please go and follow my tumblr handle if you wanna talk about the story at all with me or wanna be up to date on updates! It's @plickly and that's honestly where I'll try my best to keep everybody up to date.  
> The next update will be up as soon as I can get all my Christmas shopping done lol


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